2001 K1200RS. Clutch won't disengage

[kbj]

Hi I bought a 2001 K1200RS that the previous owner had taken it out with a slipping clutch and rode hard until it stopped with noise and vibration. He had a friend who was a MC mechanic and together they replaced only the friction plate.

 

The old friction plate looked intact on one side but half the friction material was off the other side and was in the clutch housing in a balled up "birds nest" (probably where the vibration came from). After reassembly the clutch would not disengage.

 

They then replaced the slave cylinder. Still no change. The clutch lever pulls half way and then is solid like a front brake.

 

I pulled the clutch lever in and slightly opened the clutch bleed valve to check the trouble was not the master and it pulls through "full travel" as it should (a long shot at a possible easy fix)

 

When I reached the slave cylinder and unbolted the it from the transmission, I pushed the piston in against the return spring, and while holding it in worked the clutch lever and it works as you would expect it to through the full travel of the lever.

 

I noticed the push rod does not seem to be poking out of the transmission far enough, so I removed the push rod to inspect for damage or wear and it seems fine.

 

Thinking that at least the spring plate must be out of specification?? and causing the push rod to not be long enough to push the slave cylinder piston back in to the body of the slave far enough to give you a full pull of the clutch lever before the piston in the slave is stopped at its end of travel. So new spring diaphragm, pressure plate, clutch cover and bolts. Put the transmission back on and went to install the slave cylinder and when I put it in the hole it slid all the way in with out the bolt being needed to push the spring loaded piston back in. So the push rod is definitely not protruding far enough. I took off the transmission and checked my assembly of the clutch against the Clymer and BMW workshop manuals many time and all is good. The previous owner had said he replaced the slave and in all the part he gave me was the old one. They are the same item. Next the push rod: I checked with BMW and the overall length is the same (158mm), I took it in to the dealership and they agreed with me that it doesn't look worn. As far as I can see this leaves the friction plate possibly being to thick (It is the one that the previous owner put in and looks to be after market as no BMW marks) It is 6.8mm thick. BMW give the minimum thickness of 4.5mm but I can not find a maximum thickness for it.

 

Thank you in advance for any advice.

[Tri750]

Is it possible the friction plate is in backwards?

That's a car thing that would really be a head scratcher until you pulled it apart 3 times.

[NickInSac]

I think you posted this on I-BMW.com and got a response, right???